Spin Class Workout

Even though I have left the cycling utopia of Germany and have been in Tampa, FL for the past couple of years. I've continued to sporadically ride my bicycle to work (27 miles each way). My co-workers think I'm a little crazy for riding my bicycle in the Tampa traffic, but I feel pretty comfortable with the route.

I'm in the military and every week my division gets together and does PT. We usually try to do different activities each time to keep that it doesn't get boring because it is just as much about building comradely as it is about working out. Sometimes we play football, sometimes we play volleyball, sometimes we run, sometimes we do circuit training/cross fit, etc. Today we all did a spin class together.

This week's PT was a spin class session and the whole week leading up to today's spin class; everyone was telling me how much fun I should have because I like to ride bikes so much. Well, I thought the spin class sucked. It was probably great for people that don't actually ride bicycles, but I would much rather ride a real bicycle than ride the stationary spin bike.

The first thing I noticed was when we stood up to simulate being out of the saddle, I was bobbing from side to side. Then I realized that if I were on a real bike, the bike would be moving from side to side instead of me.

Then the instructor went on about how there were hills coming up so that we needed to add resistance and lower our cadence. During that time I was thinking to myself, "Why do I need to add resistance to ride up a hill? That's what they make gears for."

Finally, I ended up screwing up every time I tried to readjust my position in the saddle because I'm not use to riding a fixed gear bike and you can't stop pedaling to move around on the spin bike.

Afterwards, a few people asked me what I thought about the spin class. I told them that I didn't like it at all and they were a little surprised. I tried to explain to them that the spin class wasn't like riding a real bicycle and they seemed to be confused. Then I came up with the analogy that comparing spin class to actually riding a bicycle is like comparing being with a blow-up doll to a being with a real woman.

Great to hear from you Solomon. STILL in? How much longer until you get out? Any more long distance rides?

I always thought that stationary bikes and treadmills looked pretty sily. If I`m going to do the exercise, I might as well get to watch the scenery change as I go by. Inflatable women probably don`t give you much for your exercise either.

I have a couple of more years before I can retire. I'll hit 20 years in the summer of 2014.

I usually get in anywhere from 30 to 80ish miles over the course of a weekend, but I haven't been on any nice sightseeing rides since being back in the states.

Next week I'm going to try incorporating the bus into my commuting routine, so hopefully I'll get to ride to work a lot more often. I don't mind the ride into work at all, but it is usually windy in the evening and the ride home can take a lot out of me.

I used to spin at my old gym, that was a few years ago though when I started riding and didn't ride during the winter. It was better than nothing. I really don't like the spin bikes too much. I ended up picking up a trainer instead so I could use my own bike on it. I use that a couple times a week, but usually I just ride or go to the gym and use the elliptical machine for cardio.